Wednesday, August 31, 2005

A Conscience at the FDA

The good news: someone at the FDA has a spine and a conscience. The bad news: that person is resigning. Lately the FDA seems more interested in Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell than in protecting the health of American citizens, and at least one of their members has had enough.

Susan Wood, Director of the FDA’s Office of Women’s Health, announced her resignation today. This was to protest last week’s announcement by the FDA: they will hold off indefinitely on approving over-the-counter sales of Emergency Contraception.

Confirmation hearings were held earlier this year for Lester Crawford to head the FDA. The Bush Administration promised, in writing, that the FDA would decide by September 1st whether to approve Emergency Contraception. They made this promise so that Senate Democrats would approve Crawford.

Last week’s announcement was yet another broken promise by the Bush Administration.

Emergency Contraception has a 90% effectiveness rate if taken within 72 hours. It can be a Godsend for rape victims.

Susan Wood’s resignation message was “I can no longer serve as staff when scientific and clinical evidence, fully evaluated and recommended for approval by the professional staff here, has been overruled. The recent decision announced by the Commissioner about emergency contraception, which continues to limit women’s access to a product that would reduce unintended pregnancies and reduce abortions, is contrary to my core commitment to improving and advancing women’s health.”

Anti-abortion activists were jumping for joy over the FDA’s rejection of Emergency Contraception. Unfortunately these people don’t have enough functioning brain cells to make a simple connection: reduced access to birth control means more abortions.

“Pro-Life” activists: please recite the previous sentence over and over and over until comprehension occurs.